Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 21, 2025

Comparing Objective Conjunctival Hyperemia Grading and the Ocular Surface Disease Index Score in Dry Eye Syndrome During COVID-19
Published on: May 25, 2022
Impact of online learning during COVID-19 pandemic on digital device related ocular health
Alaa Bou Ghannam1, Hanadi Ibrahim1, Hana Mansour1
1American University of Beirut Medical Center, Department of Ophthalmology, Beirut, Lebanon.
Objective:
The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on ocular health related to digital device usage among university students in Lebanon.
Design:
A cross-sectional design was utilized to examine the association between the pandemic and ocular health.
Participants:
A total of 255 university students in Lebanon participated in the study, selected based on their enrollment during the pandemic.
Methods:
An online survey assessed participants' digital device usage, awareness of digital eye strain, and experienced symptoms. The study addressed the relationship between symptom frequency and screen time, especially in their connection to the pandemic and online learning.
Results:
Prior to the pandemic, the majority of participants (73.0 %) were unaware of digital eye strain. Following the transition to online learning, nearly half of the participants (47.0 %) reported using digital devices for 12 or more hours. The majority (92.0 %) experienced a substantial increase in daily digital device usage for learning, with an average increase of 3-5 h. Symptoms of digital eye strain, including headache, burning of eyes, blurry vision, sensitivity to light, worsening of vision and dryness of the eyes intensified in both frequency and severity during the pandemic and online learning period.
Conclusions:
The study emphasizes the importance of promoting healthy habits and implementing preventive measures to reduce the prevalence of digital eye strain symptoms among university students. Healthcare professionals and public health authorities should educate individuals on strategies to alleviate digital eye strain, considering the persistent reliance on digital devices beyond the pandemic.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Accessory Structures of the Eye
Glaucoma: Overview
Angle Closure Glaucoma: Treatment
Photoreceptors and Visual Pathways
Focusing of Light in the Eye
Open Angle Glaucoma: Treatment
Drugs such as carbonic anhydrase inhibitors, α2- and...

